Lesson Overview During this lesson students will be introduced to the structure of the earth. The lesson will begin with a discussion of what the students think is at the center of the earth. Students will do a web quest to search out information about the structure of the Earth while completing a graphic organizer. The class will close with a discussion about what the students knew, what surprised them and what further questions they might have.
Objectives 1. Students will construct a diagram of the earth’s structure. 2. Students will be able to describe and compare the composition of the four main layers. 3. Students will be able to explain the role of density in the formation of the earth’s layers. 4. Students will be able to identify the lithosphere and asthenosphere and what they are made of.
Materials Pencils Colored pencils Web quest worksheets
Safety Issues Students need to be reminded of the importance of the correct handling of the laptops.
Always handle the computers carefully
Always shut computer down properly
Always put computers back carefully in the right spot.
Instruction
Opening
On the board
Post: The Title of the lesson (Write on a blank page in your notebook)
Post: Sketch what you already know about the Earth’s layers
Begin Discussion
How many of you like to hike?
How many of you like to go to the beach?
When you look around do you wonder what the earth is made of?
Do you ever wonder what is under your feet?
How far is it until the center of the earth?
What is the earth made of?
While these questions are being asked the teacher can write some of the things that the students brainstormed about the earth up on the board.
What do we want to know about the earth’s composition?
Today we are going to find out some of the answers to these questions!!! (5-10 minutes)
Learning Activities
Students will be broken into pairs for this activity. Each student in the pair will be given roles. One student will be the keyboard operator, one will be the summarizer, and both students will be readers and recorders. It is important that the students agree on their answers to each question before they move to the next one.
Before the worksheet is even handed out students will be reminded of the proper care for the laptops.
Students will then receive the graphic organizer for the web quest.
The directions will be reviewed and students will be reminded that they are only allowed to go on the provided websites.
While the students are performing the activity, the teacher will be able to wander around the room listening to the children’s discussion. The movement of the teacher will make sure that students stay on task, but it will also give the teacher time to informally assess the students. During this time the teacher can take note of any misconceptions and try to help by asking guiding questions. Good Question for groups
What is the difference between the lithosphere and the crust?
Is the asthenosphere a solid or a liquid?
Is the mantle solid or liquid?
Are there hollow spaces inside the earth’s core?
What is the difference between oceanic and continental crust?
How do scientists know what is at the center of the earth?
(~30 minutes)
Closing Students will be asked to log off of the laptops and put them carefully and safely back where they belong. As a class we will go back to the board.
So what did we already know?
What surprised us?
What questions do we have now?
The teacher will slide in an open discussion about any of the misconceptions that were over heard and possibly ask guiding questions to help the students to answer their own questions repeating some of the questions asked in groups.
What is the difference between the lithosphere and the crust?
Is the asthenosphere a solid or a liquid?
Is the mantle solid or liquid?
Are there hollow spaces inside the earth’s core?
What is the difference between oceanic and continental crust?
How do scientists know what is at the center of the earth?
(10-15 minutes)
Assessment
The web quests will be collected and graded, as an assignment. A participation grade, which is observed every class, will be worked into the assignment.
An informal assessment will be done as the teacher moves around the room from group to group.
Homework
Additional Notes Misconceptions
Crust and Lithosphere (or plates) are synonymous terms
Students sometimes think continents are floating on ocean water
Asthenosphere is liquid (students are only familiar with liquid convection, not solid convection, many secondary education earth science films also specifically refer to a molten internal layer, and some fundamentalist religious groups specifically refer to the existence of a molten layer that is hell's physical location).
Lower Mantle is liquid (for reasons similar to above).
Earth's core is hollow, or that large hollow spaces occur deep within Earth (a relict of older cosmology and a mainstay of popular literature and Hollywood movies)
Students think scientists know what is at the center of the earth because of digging
Unit: Plate Tectonics
Title: What is beneath your feet?
Lesson Overview
During this lesson students will be introduced to the structure of the earth. The lesson will begin with a discussion of what the students think is at the center of the earth. Students will do a web quest to search out information about the structure of the Earth while completing a graphic organizer. The class will close with a discussion about what the students knew, what surprised them and what further questions they might have.
Objectives
1. Students will construct a diagram of the earth’s structure.
2. Students will be able to describe and compare the composition of the four main layers.
3. Students will be able to explain the role of density in the formation of the earth’s layers.
4. Students will be able to identify the lithosphere and asthenosphere and what they are made of.
Materials
Pencils
Colored pencils
Web quest worksheets
Laptops
Links to Resources
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/structure.html
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10h.html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/interior/
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/vinside1.html
http://www.plate-tectonics.org/plate-tectonics/characteristics-of-the-lithosphere-and-asthenosphere.html
Safety Issues
Students need to be reminded of the importance of the correct handling of the laptops.
Instruction
Opening
On the board
Begin Discussion
- How many of you like to hike?
- How many of you like to go to the beach?
- When you look around do you wonder what the earth is made of?
- Do you ever wonder what is under your feet?
- How far is it until the center of the earth?
- What is the earth made of?
While these questions are being asked the teacher can write some of the things that the students brainstormed about the earth up on the board.- What do we want to know about the earth’s composition?
Today we are going to find out some of the answers to these questions!!!(5-10 minutes)
Learning Activities
- Students will be broken into pairs for this activity. Each student in the pair will be given roles. One student will be the keyboard operator, one will be the summarizer, and both students will be readers and recorders. It is important that the students agree on their answers to each question before they move to the next one.
- Before the worksheet is even handed out students will be reminded of the proper care for the laptops.
- Students will then receive the graphic organizer for the web quest.
- The directions will be reviewed and students will be reminded that they are only allowed to go on the provided websites.
While the students are performing the activity, the teacher will be able to wander around the room listening to the children’s discussion. The movement of the teacher will make sure that students stay on task, but it will also give the teacher time to informally assess the students. During this time the teacher can take note of any misconceptions and try to help by asking guiding questions.Good Question for groups
(~30 minutes)
Closing
Students will be asked to log off of the laptops and put them carefully and safely back where they belong. As a class we will go back to the board.
- So what did we already know?
- What surprised us?
- What questions do we have now?
The teacher will slide in an open discussion about any of the misconceptions that were over heard and possibly ask guiding questions to help the students to answer their own questions repeating some of the questions asked in groups.(10-15 minutes)
Assessment
Homework
Additional Notes
Misconceptions